Tuesday, February 12, 2013

The Art Shop Watch For 2/12/13

NEW SERIAL TODAY!--- I'm sure for time travel if
this is what's waiting. Harry A. Rose, of Bridgeport's Loew's Poli Globe, gave
starting serial Spy Smasher a marquee boost and reported he'd do the same for
all advertising relative to the bill. It was essential to hook kids with a first chapter, bettering
chance they'd keep coming till the last (in this case, twelve installments). Easy to forget what serials meant to a showgoing public then. The Liberty used to have two
in progress at any given time, Wednesdays and Saturdays, refutation to belief that
youth only went for chapter-plays. And what of ongoing myth that Bela Lugosi
sunk in cheapies unworthy of him? Monogram and PRC kept him lots busier than
Universal ever did, and I'll take Black Dragons over down-the-bill placement
for BL in U's Night Monster and 1941's The Black Cat. Lugosi was a star at
Monogram, and theirs deserve credit for putting him back at center stage. The company too had topical fruit on these vines, Black Dragon addressing Fifth Columns
and the attack on Pearl, its release within three months of 12/7 infamy date.

KEEP OLDIES FLYING--- Really liked this Hell's
Angels trade ad done by Astor for a 1942 reissue. Nothing like a "New
Streamlined" 1930 combat show to excite twelve-year-later crowds lately immersed
in a new war. Safe to say it remained, as of '42, "The Greatest Air Film Of All
Time" (had any topped it to that point?), but aircraft in the ad mislead, being
rather more modern that relics that flew against Huns in WWI (and what's this
about the R.A.F.?). "Flaming Headlines" inspired by deeds dramatized
in Hell's Angels might too have died down by 1942. Interesting is dearth of
cast names, a Jean Harlow mention would have been tip-off as to H'sA deep library status.
Bombs were again dropping on London in 1942, but not from zeppelins as in the Hughes pic, much of the oldie's charm deriving
from that stand-out portion. Would the Hell's Angels color sequence have beenin
any of the Astor prints? Probably not. Assume it was shortened considerably
too, but talk about evergreen. I'll bet independent exchanges still had prints
into the late 60's. Wonder if Astor (or anyone) did 35mm safety for post-nitrate
era bookings.

A STREAMLINER BIRTHDAY--- Here's an arresting
group to celebrate the first anniversary (7-42) of Hal Roach streamliners. They
are, left to right, Fred Guiol, William Tracy, Jean Porter, Sid Van Keuren,
Roach cutting the cake, studio VP/general manager C.W. Thornton, Marjorie
Woodworth, director Kurt Neuman, and Joe Sawyer. Further cause for cheer is
recent completion of Fall In, another in a group of service comedies with Tracy
and Sawyer. Streamliners were an interesting Roach idea that supplied forty or
so minute support to wartime programs. Some were popular, like the
Tracy-Sawyers, others less so. I like how Roach always looked for
unconventional ways to grab his market share, streamliners a clever concept and
made cheaply enough so none would amount to serious gamble. Many have turned up
on TCM, and curiosity at least make all worth seeing.

THE BOB LIPPERT STORY--- Hats off to a great
showman that thrived from silent days all the way to a 60's brace of chilling
that included faves Curse Of The Fly, Witchcraft, and The Earth Dies Screaming.
This cartooned tribute ran, appropriately, in a 1947 Showmen's Trade Review, a
mag where Bob and his works were often celebrated. Lippert knew best what we
rubes liked: westerns, vaudeville revues, hillbilly hijinx --- he could throw
a rope on any trend/genre for quick coin. Bob was also a friend and US
host to nascent Hammer (then Exclusive) Films; his deal with them gave budget UK noirs valued
exposure here. There was more pic lore in Lippert than any ten guys they've
written books about. Imagine him spinning yarns at a Theatre Owner's convention
over an eighteen ounce steak. Lots of history left with Lippert. VCI is the disc
label that offers much from the RL library. B's all, but in many cases,
good B's, and all entertaining.Samuel Fullergot a start with Bob. Three he
directed are available from Criterion in a box.Moreabout Lippert here, and
further will hopefully come as trades are perused.

NIX ON WAR FLIX--- Speaking of war, or not,
here is Spring 1943 point of saturation for a conflict gone on beyond
viewership's patience. I've seen numerous ads where theatres pledged no combat
content, with nary mention of fighting still engaged around the world. '43 was a
morning after to a just past year spent furiously flag-waving, and escape from
the war came for many to mean escape from references to war. It Ain't Hay wasAbbott and Costelloout of uniform after hitches with army, navy, and air force.
Handlers of the team knew by this time not to crab a popular act with continued
service stops. As to the RKOPalace's "Not A Hint
Of War In The Entire Show" pledge, I'm a little dubious. Wasn't Sherlock
Holmes In Washington all about keeping secret microfilm out of Axis hands?
Holmes' paean to US gov't effort and efficiency smacks of concern for the
present emergency, and modern-day Washington
setting makes the topic pretty unavoidable. Still, this ad for Chicago's first run gives insight to how
Universal's SH serieswas program-placed. Most urban openings I've come across
have Holmes bringing up rear for A&C, Montez/Hall, or whatever
"A" needed propping.

5 Comments:

Speaking of the Roach Streamliners, next month TCM is running his "That Nazty Spy," the semi-sequel to "The Devil with Hitler." I've never seen it, but I look forward to it the way others do "The Godfather II."

Ironically "Sherlock Holmes In Washington" is the weakest of the Basil Rathbone/Nigel Bruce films.

Modern Washington, D.C. was just not atmospheric enough for the Doyle characters. On the other hand "The Scarlet Claw" set in a remote French-Canadian village is the best in the series, with it's misty swamps resembling the English moors.

Hell's Angels is greatly in need of a rousing music score. I would hire John Williams or some similar movie score composer. Clean it up, and re-release it in both Theaters and Blu-Ray. With the choice of new music or the original non-music score version.